how to renew Illinois RN license?

I just have some confusion about renewing my Illinois Registered Nurse license. My license expired last May 31, 2012. I tried to renew my license last july 2013 but until now it's still in inactive? I already paid and pass the required cme 20 contact hours but with no avail. by May 2014 it's already 4 years expired. I'm kinda worried my license will be revoked or something since I'm a foreign nurse.

Can somebody help me or have any idea how to renew my license? What are the things I need to do in order to have an active RN license in Illinois?

I don't understand why you waited over a year from the expiration date to try to renew. In Illinois, if you don't renew on time your license gets put on inactive status. That usually means you'll have to take a refresher course in order to reinstate it.

Dec 6, '13

Thanks for your reply sir poppycat. That's my fault because I have waited more than a year to renew my license. So, What can you advise? Like what are the accredited institutions or website that conduct refresher courses that the State of Illinois in Nursing will accept? How much that it cost? Actually, this is my 1st renewal of license since I passed in 2011. I also read some blog that they've said that's it's ok not to renew your license in your 1st renewal? It's true?

Thanks...

Dec 7, '13

You will have to contact the Illinois Board of Nursing to find out exactly what you need to do to reinstate your license. It's not true that you don't have to renew at your first renewal time. You have to renew your RN license in Illinois every 2 years (even numbered years). Our licenses will come up for renewal in May 2014. In order to renew each time, you must have 20 hours of continuing education within the 2 years prior to renewal. So you would have to have 20 hours that you've taken between June 1, 2012 & May 31, 2014 in order to renew next May. The problem is that most places that offer continuing education for nurses require you to provide a valid RN license number. Since you don't have a valid license I'm not sure you can do the continuing education. All of your questions would best be answered by contacting the BON.

Dec 8, '13

Ok sir but my name is still in the website of Illinois license look up and I still got an license number posted. Do you think license number will change every time you renew??? One more, aside from medscape continuing Nursing education. what are the other sites that are accredited by bon of Illinois??? Or you need to attend seminar in order to get an contact hours for renewing license? My problem also sir is that I never been to USA, is the continuing medical education valid from middle east asia??

Thanks so much for the information sir poppycat.

Dec 8, '13

Once you are issued a nursing license number by a US Board of nursing, it is not changed unless one changes from LPN to RN status or adds Advance Practice Nurse certification.
What DOES change is status of license--one must renew every 2 years by expiration date on license for it to be valid;otherwise placed in lapsed or inactive status for non-renewal. After period of time determined by each board, changes to expired.

Renewal requirements vary by state include: Continuing education hours, active work (some states), no license discipline by another state and paying license fees.

Mar 24, '15

Hei,
I have the same problem since I moved oversees. Could you share or send me a message how to renew the license from the inactive status? thanks so much!!!!